A blooming good blog!

September 11, 2009

A Blog About Nothing

posted by Leann Sweeney

As I pondered what to blog about this week, I realized my brain is empty. My deadline is next week and I have been pouring words onto the page day after day and for the first time ever, I changed a key plot element that I originally thought was pure gold. The characters, however, didn't think quite so highly of my ideas and they took me in a better direction. Thank God for fictional people who can lead you around by the nose.

So, this week, we have a show/blog about nothing, as the Seinfeld folks would say. When you live and breathe the novel you are writing while both awake and asleep, there's not much left to say at the end of the day. I am not finished and thus nervous, but I have been there before. I have confidence I will get this done. And there have been a few distractions. Like refinancing the house. Not great timing, husband of mine. Also, we have a trip planned to NYC at the end of the month to see my daughter's one woman show at The Chocolate Factory in Queens. Four nights to see her dance and perform (there is a script, too) and that will be heaven. Thinking about that is a definite distraction.

But planning a trip means planning for the fur babies. The husband can plan a refinance, but calling up the Pet Palace or arranging for a petsitter? Well, not so much help there. So I've had to do that, too. My original petsitter moved away, so that means I had to find a new one and meet that person. Yes, you must meet the petsitter. She came yesterday and I must say, she is a delightful person who I might just like better than the original. I mean, my dog hardly barked at her. That's amazing. But that could be because Rosie the ADD labradoodle was too busy smelling her all over. Ah, the aroma of a slew of other pets. Wunderbar!

But Rosie won't be staying home for the petsitter to visit. Only the cats get to relax at home. Rosie will be going to the Pet Palace and will then come back home more neurotic than ever. Unbeknowst to the husband, she will be staying in one of the special suites I used to think were ridiculous. However, I know this dog and she needs to at least see other people all day long. She never leaves my side and I believe her last visit to the Pet Palace caused her to be a little too crazy and anxious after being caged in a regular run. Okay, I'm a wuss. She's like a child to me and is probably smarter than a lot of them.

If I get this book in on Tuesday, as I should, it will be the first time since my third Yellow Rose book that I have been on schedule. I have been ill and my editor is understanding, but I still felt horribly guilty. I was never one to be late for anything. And then all of a sudden, I was asking for extensions. Is the fact that I am this close to being on time a sign my health is finally improving, that the distractions of everyday life aren't so exhausting that I cannot write? I pray that's the case. And next week, when I write a blog, I will feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders.